Key West Police Department motorcycle patrolman Deglys Chavarria was struck by lightning while on on duty Wednesday morning, according to police and one eyewitness account.

Chavarria, 27, was on his department-issued motorcycle heading south on North Roosevelt Boulevard at the Palm Avenue stop light about 10:30 a.m. when he was hit by the bolt, said police spokeswoman Alyson Crean and Citizen newspaper hawker Lou Ann Carnell.

He was taken to Lower Keys Medical Center and was reportedly alert and consciousness, but his immediate condition was not known as of noon, Crean said.

Chavarria was awake, but complaining of left arm pain as she consoled him and waited for paramedics, Carnell said.

It was unclear if the bolt hit near Chavarria or hit him directly as of this report.

Charvarria was a police Explorer while in high school and started as a dispatcher in 2005 before becoming an officer in 2009, Crean said. He's also a past president of the Police Athletic League.